Sandakan Hospital Returns to Full Operations After Water Supply Restoration
KOTA KINABALU, Sept 19 – The Duchess of Kent Hospital (HDOK) in Sandakan is operating at full capacity today, with all services, including surgeries and the haemodialysis unit, fully functional following the restoration of the water supply.
According to a statement released by the Health Ministry, the main water supply to the hospital’s tanks was reconnected at 11:00 AM on Tuesday. this allowed for the reactivation of the hospital’s chiller system at 2:00 PM, enabling a phased resumption of operations.
During the period of water disruption, HDOK implemented emergency protocols. These included the postponement of elective surgeries, careful rationing of linen, and optimized usage of alcohol-based hand rub. The Ministry confirmed that all emergency measures have now been lifted with the full stabilization of the water situation.
The Ministry expressed gratitude to numerous parties for their support during the crisis, including the Sabah State Water Department (JANS), Sandakan Municipal Council (MPS), Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB), the Hospital Lahad Datu team, the Sabah State Health Department, NGOs, local leaders, and individual volunteers.
The water shortage, initially reported by Malay Mail on Monday, stemmed from a disruption in supply from the Segaliud treatment plant. An internal hospital memo revealed that water tank levels had fallen to dangerously low levels despite ongoing deliveries via tanker from JANS, external contractors, and MPS.
This incident highlights the ongoing issue of recurrent water shortages in Sandakan, prompting continued calls from local representatives and community leaders for long-term solutions to address the underlying infrastructure problems.